Upper Swan Valley Historical Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Collecting, preserving, and sharing local history and cultural heritage of the Swan Valley in Montana.
- Income
- $58,753
- Spending
- $64,967
- Reserves
- 29.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 29.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $6,727 spent. NEWSLETTERSDuring 2025, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. continued the writing and publication of four quarterly newsletters that are mailed to approximately 595 full-time and part-time residents of the Swan Valley, Montana. Each newsletter is filled with program and project updates, local historical information, recipes, and personal stories. Public information is also available on the organization's web-site that features information on programs and activities for the benefit of the organization and the community. During 2025, there were approximately 4,159 visits to the web-site.
- $47,535 spent. MUSEUM AND HERITAGE SITEOne of the programs of the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. is management of the organization's Museum and Heritage Site established to showcase historical items, artifacts, and exhibits and to archive information and materials. There are no other government, cultural, or historic offices in this small, unique, rural community. The goals of providing preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the Swan Valley, Montana and providing educational and research opportunities for public benefit and enjoyment are being continued. During 2025, the organization continued to improve the building and land at the local Museum and Heritage Site, including expansion of the outdoor interpretive exhibits with additions to the Native American Camp exhibit and a replica of the children's antique wooden train. Various exhibits and displays of items from early day one-room schoolhouses, fire lookouts, sawmills, hunting and fishing camps, homesteads, and other historic memorabilia were viewed by the estimated 691 visitors who toured the museum during 2025. The Museum's exhibits and displays chronicle the community's settling and the spirit of the homesteading pioneers. The annual August story-telling program theme was The History of Log Home Construction and included a tour and demonstrations of scribing and notching techniques. In the fall, area students toured the Museum, played traditional games, learned butter making, measuring tree growth, a history of homesteading, and about Montana Indian tribes and the Tipi Camp. In addition to maintaining the exhibits and displays in the Museum, plans for the future include continuing to expand the outdoor interpretive exhibits and the Native American Camp exhibit.
- $432 spent. FROSTBITE FESTIVALIn December 2025, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc.'s Event Coordinator developed and organized the annual Frostbite Festival and Holiday Bazaar featuring local artists and crafters. During the Frostbite Festival, adults and children enjoyed a family-oriented event held at the local elementary school to bring the community together for activities and camaraderie.
- $169 spent. FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONDuring the annual Fourth of July community celebration, more than 168 adults and children visited the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc.'s annual history displays, photo and memorabilia exhibits, and historical cabin exhibits at the Museum and Heritage Site. In addition to the popular Historical Society photo and memorabilia exhibits, the organization served huckleberry ice cream, a 4th of July tradition. The 2025 themes for the 4th of July celebration were the antique Quilt Display and the Log Home Construction Exhibit.
- $253 spent. ORAL HISTORY PROJECTOver the past decade, The Upper Swan Valley Oral History Project has recorded over 175 interviews with the early residents, along with collecting photographs, maps, documents, and other memorabilia. In 2011, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. produced a book, "Montana, Voices of the Swan", containing 65 historical summaries of recorded interviews with earlier settlers, their descendants, or others who knew the Swan Valley in former years. Their "voices" tell the story of lives of mingled hardship and joy in earlier days in the Swan Valley of Montana. During 2013, and periodically updated since then, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. produced "As Time Goes By: A Chronology of the Swan Valley" that includes information about historical events such as exploration, homesteading, logging, and development occurring from 1854 through 2023, and provides an easy-to-use reference about the natural, cultural, and historical aspects of the Swan Valley. The history of the historic lodge at Lindbergh Lake in the Swan Valley, Montana, was documented in the first DVD film produced by USVHS that debuted in February, 2014. During 2015, the video project film, "Wrangler, Dudes, and Homesteaders", using techniques of oral storytelling, photographic documentation, and historical research, was continued documenting the history of the Gordon Ranch and Holland Lake Lodge areas to capture the history of the historic lodges before it is lost. In continuation of the oral history project, during 2015, the USVHS published the "Huck Book" full of local recipes, photos, memories, nostalgia, and historical accounts including recipes that came from early day homesteaders and settlers that have been handed down through the generations. During 2017, the USVHS published "The Gathering Place, Swan Valley's Gordon Ranch". The book includes historical anecdotes, comments, and tales that document the life and times around the Gordon Ranch. During 2025, work was continued on summarizing and transcribing recorded interviews for the purpose of making the stories suitable for inclusion in a future oral history book. The objective of the Oral History Project is to preserve the history of the Swan Valley and make it available for present and future generations. The goal is to continue collecting oral histories of Swan Valley residents by conducting interviews, preparing transcripts, and sharing the stories with the local community and other interested people. Plans include continuing the Oral History Project with interviews, photos, and historic stories.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2008.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.